The care and repair of window treatments on a regular basis is necessary. Cleaning blinds keeps them looking new and maintains their ornamental appearance. However, even the most meticulous housekeeping won’t prevent yellowing blinds.
Why Do Sunlight Make Blinds Turn Yellow?
The blinds take a beating from shielding us from the sun. This armour, like any other, deteriorates over time. Exposure to the sun’s UV rays wears off any protective covering over time. Without this protection, the blinds will turn yellow and lose their natural hue.
How to Clean Your Yellow Blinds
If the stains on your plastic or aluminium blinds persist despite routine cleaning, consider soaking them in bleach.
- Fill a bathtub halfway with cold water and 2–3 cups bleach. Remove your blinds and lay them in the bleach bath. Make sure to soak your blinds for at least 10 minutes and submerge every portion of them in the water.
- Remove the blinds from the tub once you’re satisfied with the hue. Using a clean cloth, gently wipe them dry, being careful not to bend the slats. Return the blinds to their proper locations to dry in the open air.
- Wooden blinds can be harmed by bleach and detergent. Instead of washing them with soap, dust them regularly and wipe them down with a moist sponge. Cleaning them on a regular basis should help them keep their color for longer.
- Blinds are now finished with a durable UV-resistant coating by today’s window treatment makers. Over time, this covering will deteriorate. The blinds will stay true to their original color for longer if they are cleaned on a regular basis.
Does the Sun Make Faux Wood Blinds Yellow?
Faux wood blinds have a similar appearance to real wood blinds but cost a fraction of the price. Typically, these blinds are comprised of a polymer vinyl composite. However, cheaper mimic wood blinds may utilize weaker foam compositions. Because your blinds are continuously exposed to the sun’s rays, they may discolour over time.
Faux Wood Blinds and Sun Exposure
A UV-resistant coating is applied to many imitation wood blinds at the manufacturing. This treatment protects the blinds from some sun exposure, but it isn’t indestructible. Blinds made of vinyl are more prone to solar damage than blinds made of natural wood. The side of the blinds that faces the light may fade or develop a yellow hue after a few years. Because fade-resistant curtains deflect the sun’s rays, you can hang a curtain between your blinds and the window to safeguard them. Fade-resistant fabrics include cotton, polyester, acrylic, and rayon.
What to Know About Wood Blinds That Warp in the Sun
When exposed to the sun, do wood blinds warp? The short answer is that it depends on the type of blinds utilized. Real wood blinds, composite wood blinds, and imitation wood blinds are the three primary types of wood blinds available. Some of these blinds are more resistant to sunlight and moisture than others, giving them distinct qualities.
- Natural/Real Wood Blinds
These are blinds made entirely of natural wood that has not been treated chemically. Natural hardwoods such as Oak, Basswood, and Cherry are some of the timbers used to make these blinds.
Natural wood blinds, in general, are the most resistant to direct sunshine and heat, and so do not warp under these conditions.
- Composite wood blinds
Polystyrene, plastic resins, wood pulp, and synthetic PVCs are used to make these blinds. Although wood is used in the construction of these blinds, it is not the primary material. Composite wood blinds, on the other hand, are made entirely of plastic.
While these blinds are durable, their high plastic content makes them more susceptible to warping when exposed to direct sunlight.
To reduce the chances of this happening, dark colored slats should be avoided because they absorb the most heat. Instead, choose for off-white or plain white slats, which are excellent heat reflectors.
Furthermore, because plastic is highly resistant to moisture, severe heat caused by high humidity will have little effect.
